Recognition of overseas driving experience

Your application for a P, V, I or O endorsement requires you to have held a New Zealand full class 1 licence for at least two years. If you’ve held an overseas licence before getting your New Zealand full licence, you may be able to get your overseas driving experience recognised.

This could exempt you from needing to have held the New Zealand licence for two years before applying for an endorsement.

All applicants still need to sit the New Zealand practical driving test

If you haven’t passed a full licence driving test in the last five years, you’ll need to do this before your endorsement can be granted. This is true even if you have held a New Zealand full licence for more than two years.

Page 3 of the Application for an exemption [PDF, 131 KB] (DL4) form has the details of what you need to apply. If you need documentation from another country, please remember this can take a significant amount of time.

Note: even if your application for an exemption is granted, it doesn’t guarantee you an endorsement. You’ll still need to complete the application process for your endorsement and have it on your licence.